BROOKINGS, S.D. - The Mavericks opened their first Summit League road series of the season with an 8-4 loss to South Dakota State on Friday. The game was played on a local high school field due to SDSU's field being partially snowed in.

Omaha drops to 12-15 on the season and 4-6 in the conference as the Mavericks are leapfrogged by the Jackrabbits in the standings as they improve to 11-17 overall and 5-5 in league play.

Innings 1-3
Preston Tenney started off the day in dominant fashion as he struck out three of the first four batters he faced, all on breaking balls. After another easy inning in the second, he allowed his first run of the day in the third on a shallow fly ball that would have been a fly out in most college stadiums, but due to the high school field's dimensions was enough for a home run. 

Innings 4-6
After setting down the next two batters following the home run, Tenney made it five in a row with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth. He did run into trouble in the fifth, however, as an error wiped away a potential inning-ending double play and led to another Jackrabbits run scoring on what was only their second hit of the day. Their lead would grow to 5-0 in the sixth after a couple more shallow home runs to left off reliever Luke Gainer.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks continued to struggle against SDSU starter Reece Arbogast as a couple of singles from Eddie Satisky and Matt Goetzmann were all they would get through the first six innings.

Innings 7-9
Down 5-0 in the seventh, the Mavericks were finally able to get something going on offense as Noah Greise absolutely crushed a two-run home run to left that would have been out even at Tal. Brennen Bales followed up with a double and Goetzmann got his second hit of the day to get runners on the corners for Omaha. Eduardo Rosario then made it a one-run game as he dropped one just out of reach of the diving left fielder for a two-run double. 

After getting the last two outs of the sixth, Bales stayed in to pitch the seventh, getting his second strikeout of the day in a scoreless inning. Pitching into his third inning of the day, though, Bales was unable to keep the Jackrabbits off the board again as a one-out, three-run home run gave the Jackrabbits a permanent four-run lead. 

Inside the Box Score
Satisky and Goetzmann both increased their hitting streaks to four consecutive games today. 

Rosario's double was his fifth of the season, good for the second most he has hit in a single season.

Likewise, Greise now has four home runs on the year, just one shy of his total from last season but in almost 90 fewer at bats.

Up Next
Due to unfavorable weather, game 2 of the series has been moved from tomorrow to Sunday as both teams will now play a double header starting at noon.